The present invention relates to a method and apparatus of making and for forming picture frame mats to size and particularly for forming simultaneously a double picture frame matting.
In the picture frame industry, the framer is often called upon to provide a plurality of decoratively colored mats to mount a picture within a frame so as to more artistically offset and display the coloring of the picture through an opening or window cut in each of the mats. Oftentimes, each of the mats is colored to provide a contrasting color scheme with that of the frame and/or with that of the picture. At times, each mat is also provided with a decorative surface which contrasts with the picture and the frame as well. Frequently a second and even a third or more mats may be added and overlayed on each as additional picture display borders with each mat contrasting in color with both the other mats and the frame and the picture to be displayed through their windows.
It is well known in the picture frame industry that the size of the mats, their openings or picture display windows which border the picture or pictures are critical in that they must conform not only to the size of the frame but also to the sizes of the displayed picture or pictures. In addition, the relative dimensions of the display openings or windows of the mats are critical because they must be uniformly shaped, equally spaced, perfectly mitered and bevelled along the edges of the window frame openings with acute angles to the planes of the mats. Such bevelled edges usually are of a further contrasting color to that of both the face of the mats, the frame and also the picture.
Because of the criticality of all of the requirements of the display mats, cutting each such mat is considered an art and has been a laborious task because of the difficulty of cutting each mat evenly, with straight edges and lines parallel and uniform to each other. Heretofore it has been a problem to provide more than one mat with a window opening, the side edges of which are absolutely parallel to and conform absolutely perfectly evenly with and uniformly with the window display openings of other mats used in and cut separately for the picture frame. Various cutting devices have been known which facilitate the cutting of picture frame mats. To this effect, reference may be made to the U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,827 to Logan and to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,158,977 and 3,213,736 as being illustrative of the prior art.
Commercial cutting apparatuses have been available through G&M Manufacturing Co., 5755 Gallant Drive, Jackson, Miss.; Keeton Products International, Inc., Model Nos. KK210, KK248, KK410, and KK448 and the Vertical Glass and Cardboard Cutter Model 300 of the Logan Manufacturing Co.
When using the known apparatuses, the framer must first cut each side of each mat accurately and, therefore, laboriously and separately one at a time. If a single mat is required, at least four separate cutting strokes are necessary to provide a proper picture display opening or window. If two or more overlying mats are required to display a picture, each mat must be cut separately in the manner as described. The four cutting strokes on each mat must be exactly equal to, uniform with and parallel with the strokes cut on each other mat. If any one of the edges of the openings of any one of the mats does not match perfectly the corresponding edge opening of another mat, the appearance of the mat design completely detracts from the picture and diminishes from its effectiveness. At the present time, there is no known method or apparatus for cutting two or more mats simultaneously, uniformly and perfectly equally spaced and parallel with each other without the great labor and consumption of time as was described and known in the prior art.
Thus, in the past, the framer was required to exercise great care to mark each mat with the desired window opening by measuring and sizing one mat with respect to each of the other mats to be cut. Then each cut had to be made separately in each mat with great care to assure that it was parallel to and conformed perfectly with the corresponding edges or walls in precise relative spacing with respect to every other mat. The duplication of efforts required to be performed on each mat increased the possibility and opportunity for miscalculation and error as well as damage to and loss of one or more of the mats, all of which is expensive.
The present invention eliminates all the requirements of the duplicative calculations, markings, cuttings and labor as well as the loss of material. The present invention enables all of the mats to be cut in a single operation uniformly, equally spaced, with all of the cuts made parallel, each to the other, without error and without the loss or damage to any of the materials that are utilized.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus for accurately cutting and forming double or multiple mats with picture display windows and openings wherein each of the mats is cut simultaneously with the other.
Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following disclosure of the present invention.